Knowledge for all to ensure sustainable development.

Report by JC Guillemard, ISPA UNESCO Liaison.

The International Conference of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in official relationship with UNESCO was held at the Headquarters of the international organization in Paris.
The conference was opened by Ms Françoise SAUVAGE, (Chair of the NGOs Liaison Committee). Mr Ahmed SAYYAD, Co Director for external relationships, welcomed the participants and introduced Mr ZHENG (People’s republic of China ) , the new chair of the UNESCO Executive Board and Mr LAKATOS, in charge of relationship with NGOs for the Executive Board.
The conference work started with the appointment of the members of the final resolution committee (JC Guillemard was appointed as a member of this committee) and of the election committee.
Then, Claude VERCOUTERE, General Secretary of the Liaison committee presented the report on activities for the period 2003-2005.
After lunch, candidates at the NGO Liaison Committee (ISPA was one of them) made their presentation.
In the afternoon, the topic of the first round table was “Education for Sustainable Development and Promotion of Values.” Albert JACQUARD a famous French scientist (specialist in Genetics) and Mary Joy PIGOZZI Deputy-Chief UNESCO Division of Promotion for Quality Education discussed with the participants. The International Federation of Pharmacy Students contributed in this round table.
On the second day the election process was organized simultaneously with three workshops .
Workshop 1. Role of medias.
Workshop 2. Education in urban area (I attended this workshop).
Workshop 3. Women as actresses of change.
In the afternoon, the second round table was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of UNESCO (1945-2005).
At 5 pm, the result of elections was presented by the election committee .Ms Françoise SAUVAGE was re-elected as Chair of the UNESCO NGO Liaison Committee. Unfortunately, ISPA was not elected (ISPA had 24 votes while 26 minimum were needed to be one of the 3 winner in the category “Operational Relationship”). We wish to be luckier next time (2007) and –may be-prepare this election more professionally.
The last day in the morning, reports of workshops have been presented and discussed . The afternoon was dedicated to the presentation, discussion and vote of the final resolution which was unanimously adopted as the orientation of the new NGOs Liaison Committee for the next biennium (2005-2007).In this resolution, most recommendations of the NGO Group for Education For All (ISPA representative is secretary of this group) have been included.
For the next two years, ISPA will maintain its involvement in the work of UNESCO NGOs especially within the Group on Education for All.

Jean-Claude GUILLEMARD.

For more information on NGO Liaison Committee, please see the website www.ngo-liaison-committee.unesco.org